On Tuesday, February 10, 2015, Susquehanna Valley residents will be asked to consider a bus purchase proposition. You will vote on a measure authorizing the district to purchase one (1) 72 passenger bus, at a cost not to exceed $118,000 after trade-in, two (2) 66 passenger buses, each at a cost not to exceed $118,500 after trade-in, and one (1) wheel chair bus not to exceed $86,000 after trade-in, for an estimated total of $441,000, to be repaid over five years through bonds.
The Cost of Vehicle Acquisition
If voters approve the bus purchase proposition, the total amount of the borrowing including interest is estimated to be $470,106 over five (5) years at 2.2% interest. State transportation aid will cover 79.3% of the cost of the buses, or $372,794 over five years. As part of the District’s ongoing bus replacement plan it is not anticipated the purchase will increase the tax levy.
The Need for New Buses
The Susquehanna Valley School District currently maintains a fleet of thirty-seven (37) buses, each of which travels 50-150 miles per day for many years on some very challenging rural roads. One of the buses being replaced is seventeen (17) years old. It is a credit to our transportation department and the staff of mechanics that these buses are capable of safely transporting our students throughout the district and beyond for athletic contests, field trips, etc. This year we are trading in five vehicles, of which we are asking voters to replace four.
Important Voter Information
Absentee ballot applications must be filed with the district office by February 3, 2015 if the absentee ballot is to be mailed to the voter. Applications must be filed by February 9, 2015 if the ballot is to be delivered by the voter in person. To request or pick up an absentee ballot, contact Karen Mullins, Secretary to the Superintendent, 775-9100.
To be eligible to vote you must be:
A citizen of the United States
At least eighteen (18) years of age
A resident within the district for a period of at least thirty (30) days preceding the vote.
PLEASE REMEMBER: The Susquehanna Valley School District requires voters to provide proof of residency and/or age. Acceptable forms of such proof are a driver’s license, a non-driver identification card containing the required information, a tax or utility bill (residency proof) or a birth certificate (proof of age). In the absence of such proof of residency and/or age, you will be required to sign a declaration of qualification (as provided under Section 2019 of the Education Law), and upon such execution, you will be entitled to vote.